


I Couldn't Stand Him At First

by bssabrzs



Category: Football RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-16
Updated: 2015-02-16
Packaged: 2018-03-13 08:26:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3374591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bssabrzs/pseuds/bssabrzs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Slightly AU in that they don't both play for the same team.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Couldn't Stand Him At First

"So here we are... Daniel Agger. Martin Skrtel... Thank you for having me, gentlemen" the reporter smiled, reaching forward from their chair to shake Daniel and Martin's hands one at a time as the other two men sat shoulder to shoulder on the couch across from the reporter.

"Hey" Daniel said with a small smile of respect, looking over at Martin with a reassuring glance. Countless tabloids and media outlets had vied for both men's attention, a race to see who would get the scoop first. After much hesitation and a bit of Martin's special bedroom persuasion skills, Daniel decided to not only do the interview but that the reporter would be of their choice. One media outlet seemed less evil than the others to the Dane because it at least usually presented two sides to a story, which was more than he could say for the others.

"Finally get to sit down with you two. Clear the air and kind of get behind all the tabloid madness."

"Mhm" Daniel confirmed with a head nod, Martin chuckling at the thought of all the recent headlines surrounding their relationship. They both knew that with accusations spinning out of control and politics being dragged into the circus of it all, that they would have to eventually give an interview on their own behalf. Both men decided that it would be in the comfort and safety of their own home, landing them there on their livingroom couch with a film crew, reporter and lights set up in front of them.

"Now, if someone had said just a few years ago that two well known footballers would be public about their homosexual relationship, most people would've said it was impossible" the reporter continued.

"Most, yeah" Martin said. "It was..." he paused, gathering his thoughts. "It wasn't something talked about and the few that did, you know. They got support but unless it was the player of the year coming out or the one selling the most jerseys, it was like people didn't take it too seriously."

"Not the administration at least" Daniel clarified. "The fans were a lot more supportive and encouraging. Way before the higher ups decided to get on board." Martin nodded in agreement, crossing his arms against his chest as he listened to his boyfriend.

The reporter leaned back, crossing one leg over the other, attentively listening then prepared for the next question. "Not since the Beckhams has there really been a media frenzy like this. Almost everyday a new story or someone going on about you guys and the relationship. How has that been? Living under the public eye?"

"In some ways it hasn't been that hard" Martin was the first to answer. "Our job, we were already in the public eye so in that sense, you know, we were used to it."

"And by the time it was out, he and I had been together for, what? Almost a year" Daniel said, running through the timeline in his head but looking at his boyfriend for confirmation. Martin contributed a small "mhm", diverting his attention from the reporter to Daniel. If you didn't know him well enough, you would miss what the untucking of Martin's crossed arms indicated: the man showing more of the side of himself Daniel saw than what others had seen.

"So, we just acted as we had before" the Dane continued with a heavy sigh, running his slender fingers through his already messy hair. "If I want to hold my boyfriend's hand, I will. If I want to kiss him, I will" he said with a shrug, dismissing any criticism of his actions. "I don't think, oh, there might be some pictures of this or oh, this might be tomorrow's news, you know? Can't let people you don't even know dictate your life. It's just not what I do."

Daniel's candid answer earned him a warm smile from Martin, the two turning to look at each other. Martin knew that Daniel's "fuck what other people think" stance was synonymous with "this is who I love and I will show it", a way the Slovak knew was one of many that his boyfriend unapologetically staked his claim to him. Freckles seemed to rise to the surface of the Dane's cheeks as his eyes brightened, the sharp bow of Martin's top lip thinning as his smile stretched wider. As if choreographed, both defenders then broke from their isolated moment of silent communication to look back at the reporter.

"Daniel, you seem to be the type to dive first, check for the deep end later" the reporter stated before diverting giving attention to the other man on the couch. "Martin, were you as comfortable in the beginning with being so affectionate in public?"

"Well, not really at first" Martin responded, one finger rubbing at the shallow dip between the bridge of his nose and the corner of his eye. "There was some things that, you know... I was dealing with, to finally get there. To be okay outside like that" he explained, hands in his lap, fingers fidgeting. The Slovak's terse answer mixed with Daniel clearing his throat then giving a narrow eyed, tight lip look toward the reporter told the reporter to tread lightly with the subject matter. "But being with Dannny you quickly learn to be yourself" he added with a shrug and grin. "And really, that's the best way to be." Opting to accept what they were luckily already given, the reporter moved on to the next question.

"Before the headlines and daily breaking news, how did you guys start? When did you think 'hey, this could work'?" the reporter asked, finally getting to one of the questions many people had wanted an answer to.

"I uh..." Martin started, chuckling as he rubbed his chin, cheekbones more prominent than before as he smiled. "I actually couldn't stand him at first" the man admitted, earning a playful eyeroll from his boyfriend. "We met through a mutual friend. Someone was like, oh well I'm having lunch with some buddies and you should come" Martin began to explain, gesturing slightly with his hands. "I figured why not, y'know?" he shrugged. Daniel bit his bottom lip, chuckling as he was covering his face with one hand, elbow pressed to the armrest of the couch. He shook his head, knowing what was coming next. The barely younger man grinned at Daniel's reaction before looking back at the reporter and continuing. "Got to the restaurant. Big table of everyone chatting and carryin' on. A bit into it, Daniel starts going on about something... I actually don't even remember what it was but I kind of gave my two cents or whatever. Of course he had something to say in response, so we're going back and forth until my friend finally plays peacemaker and changes the subject."

"Was it a full blown argument?" the reporter inquires.

"Not really but I just felt like he was being... a jerk" Martin added with a nod and low chuckle. "In the car with my friend.. now mind you, I only talked to Danny for maybe five minutes..." he interrupted himself, adding what he thought was a pertinent part to the story.

"If even that, really" Daniel chimes in, eyes trained on the other centerback's profile, scanning Martin's features from brow to jaw.

"Exactly. Five minutes tops but I was ranting in the car for at least an hour!" Martin laughs. "Going on about how he was stupid and no one asked him his opinion."

"But that's what sucked him in, even though he won't admit it" Daniel tells the reporter, stretching out his free arm so that it rested along the back of the couch, slightly spreading his legs as he got more comfortable and settled in for the long haul of questions.

"Not then, but yeah..." Martin smiled, leaning in a bit closer to the Dane, causing Daniel to slide his arm down from the couch to Martin's shoulders. "I admit it now. I'm attracted to jerks" he laughs, quickly getting poked in the far shoulder by his boyfriend.

"So you didn't exactly start off on the right foot, how'd you guys actually turn it around? Get to where you are today?" the reporter asks, leaning forward with interest.

"I realized all the things that irritated me is what I was attracted to" Martin shrugged. "Like, the smug smirk I wanted to wipe off his face, it was really just confidence. I like confidence in a man. He wasn't cocky. He had good points and was able to backup what he was saying."

"Which he probably wasn't used to, y'know?" the Dane contributes. "He bulldozes over everyone in conversation. Either with his replies, which are actually really intelligent, or just yelling" Daniel chuckles.

"Okay, so I yell sometimes but not often" Martin says in his defense, corner of his lips curled up slightly.

"He couldn't do that with me" was the simple statement that came from Daniel.

"I couldn't get a word in edgewise!" the Slovak was quick to clarify.

"Yeah, but if you could..." Daniel said, one eyebrow slightly arched, lips wearing a hint of a grin.

"If I could, yeah. You would've still won" Martin adds, licking over his own bottom lip. "So, we ended up running into each other again about a week or so later..." Martin continued in response to the initial question.

"I still think Stevie planned that though, yeah?" Daniel suggests. "He was pretty set on getting me to go and at the time I didn't know why."

"I actually asked him about that once!" Martin said, eyes a bit brighter than moments before. "Yeah?" his boyfriend wondered with an inquisitive tone, hearing about it for the first time. Daniel's fingers softly rubbed the nape of Martin's neck as he kept his eyes on the other man. "He won't admit it but I'm pretty sure..." Martin chuckled as the goosebumps raised on his arms as a result of Daniel's light touches, voice drifting off as he realized they were getting off topic. "So yeah. We talked a bit and the jerk grew on me so here we are today" the Slovak concluded, one hand reaching for Daniel's lower thigh, thumb stroking his boyfriend's knee through the fabric of his jeans.

Although Martin's eyes were cast downward at his own hand on Daniel's knee, the other defender was focused on his boyfriend's face. Daniel's fingers finally slowed to a stop, no longer caressing Martin's nape but instead letting his palm press to the side of his boyfriend's head. The Dane pressed his lips to Martin's barely there strands of hair, kissing the side of his head and earning a gentle squeeze to his knee. With a restricted and close lipped, yet high cheekboned smile, Martin rolled his head, nuzzling Daniel's jawline in appreciation of the kiss. After a quick peck to Martin's forehead, Martin straightened up more, sitting upright and looking shyly at the reporter as he waited for the next question. Daniel kept his arm around his boyfriend's shoulders, bringing one ankle to rest on his free knee, his knee occupied by Martin's hand now protruding and lightly brushing against Martin's knee.

The rest of the interview went relatively smoothly. Martin laughing when he used the wrong word in English and Daniel admitting to his temper in regards to losing in FIFA. Daniel quickly giving answers to trite questions he was all too sick of and Martin spilling the beans on one of his boyfriend's more embarrassing moments. By the end of the interview, it was clear that Martin could do more than just stand Daniel. He loved the man that bravely loved him back.

**Author's Note:**

> The story was inspired by [a clip](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IrKL-H5Qz8) in the "World Cup Party" series I saw of Beckham and Victoria giving an interview on a couch.  
> 
> 
> All publicly recognizable persons, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners and are fictional. The author(s) is/are in no way associated with said person(s) being depicted. Any resemblance is purely coincidental.


End file.
